Flexible coupling



July 6 1926.

H. J. SMITH FLEXIBLE COUPLING 7 of radialslots 18 each of which extends from Patented" July 6, 19 26 anana- MI H, m xewbgq amp 1 FLEXIBLE cournrnep 1 Application filed August 12, 1924. Serial no. 731,573. I

"This invention relates to a flexible coupling which is adapted to connect adjacent parts of two rotatable members, suchas two shafts, and. .permit *of power being trans- Initted from one of these shafts to the" other without shock,-, straining or cramping the partsor producing unduefrictiori 01'- loss of e v y It is theobject of this invention to produce, a flexible coupling of this character which .is comparativelysimple' and durable in construction, efficient .anlxreliable in operation and capable of ,bei'ngrea'dily assembled-zor dismemberedfz" a In the accompanying drawings: I

.-Figurefl1 is;a;1longitudinal section of a flexible coupling embodying my inventionj.'

Figuresj'2, 3 and 4' are transverse sectionsof the same taken on the correspondingly numberedilinesin Figure 1'; y. 1 Figure. '5 is afragmentary. longitudinal section taken on line 5+5, Figure 3. r

Similar' characters of; reference indicat like parts in the several views. n

--Although this flexible coupling ,may be utilized for 7 connecting adjacent "rotatable 'members of various kinds, the same is shown in the. drawings for: connectingtwo shafts 10 ,and: 11 which-are} arranged end to end,

My improved coupling ;i's;ad apted to'connect these two shafts and-permit of transmittingmotion from one tothe other yie'l dingly. and

withoutbinding or cramping-or undue friction notwithstanding that these two shafts may be slightly out of alignment relatively to each other.

v The particular embodiment of my invention'which is shown in the drawings asapplied to the opposing ends of" these shafts is constructed as follows:

Mounted on the end of each of these shafts 7 so as to turn therewith'is a coupling head which comprises atubularlhub 12 which is secured to the respective shaft by means of a key 13 and a set screw 14, a transverse web or disk 15'exte'nding outwardly from :the front end of the hub 12, and an annular flange or rim 16 arranged on the rear side a a of themarginal part of the disk. On the Linner side of the flange '16 and adjacent to the rear side of the disk the same isaprow vided with an annular groove 17 which forms an inwardly facing or opening seat.

At different points in its marginal part the coupling head i'sprovided with a-plura'lit-y site strength and. flexibility.

disk :and' across the flange thereon, four of v t such slots beingpreferably employed and ar ranged equidistant] around a the axis of I the .coupling head 7 '..Intheannu1ar seat ofeach coupling head h is arranged a retaining ring 19which is split and preferably constructed of "resilient material. Preparatory to placing this ring i ntly. 0,,pass;'ajlong "the inner side of the flange 16- until it is in line with the seat and uponreaching this place-fthering may-be lexpanded so astoj enterthe seat; I

' For. the purpose of holding the retaining ring in engagement with the seat on the coupling --headf flo'cking; device is I provided which preferably consists Ofj'a locking block or'keeper '20which is inserted between the ends 'ofthe split Ppartof the retaining ringl while thesame 'is expanded'into the seat,'and v a screw- 2l -wherebyithis block is detachably fastened to the rear side'ofthedisk of the V respective coupling head.

Thenumeral? 22- represents a plurality of coupling-linksorrbars each of whichmay be constructed of any suitable material, preferably flexible, such Jas hard 1' rubber, spring steel or-copper, mamas the: fOI'IIl Of-tLTflQLfi parallelsided'bar-iwhich is provided 'withi -.3 I longitudinal slots 23'.extending inwardly from-opposite endsthereof. v Eachof these' links is constructedof aplurality of-"com 9e 7 parativelyrthin plates of resilient material which are arranged side by sicle to produce a link of "laminated form, as shown in Figures 2, 3 and i, and give the same the requi These links are arranged in an annular "row around the axis of the coupling and,

'each'link extends across the space between; V

the two coupling heads and projects with its opposite ends into two corresponding radial slots of said heads. The slots in the link receive those portions of the retaining rings which extend across the rear side of the radial slots. The thickness of the links is equal-to or nearly equal to the widthof the radialslots, so that a substantially close fit is securedjbetween these parts for main 'taining the' links with their flat sides in a' radial position inwhich they are capable of being flexed the requisite extent clrcumferentially' of the coupling while transmitting.

motionjof one head to the other' V a the rota y I andfthus cushioning the load.

1 pling is in operation.

The Width of the slots in the links is equal to the diameter oi; the rings 'engagingtherewith and thereby avoid a loose fit between the same and any rattling noisewyhich ot r- Wise would be liable to ociir' whilethe cow Due to is. manner of mounting the links on the coupling heads the links are free to slide lengthwise on. the rings and also rock radially thereon thereby Qlfiablingi tile-links to: adapt then seliges to any slight-difference. in the relativefposition i: the. fil pljlllg 'l'le'ads due; either 'togf the shafts being slightly out of; axial alignment or tilted slightly relatively to; eachfother. '1- Ib s? Coupling; therefore; compensatesffor 'a'nyj inaccuracy in the; relation betweenthe v tyyo'shaftsandstilloperatesto'flexihly trans- 'init power from onei-shafttothe otherkby means which are: of; 1 simple: construction, which are IlQtliable, to, get outio f order and which are calfl'al leof; easy iandiconveni'ent re pl qeme t.when-worn.

VI clainiaS my invention:

1'," A; flexible cou'plingucomgrising two couit heads) adapted to be. mounted on two rotatable nieinhersjand eac'hproifided with a seat. and slot crossing, sa d 1' seat,'fa retaining niernher engaging said seat and extending across. the 'slotsfofi each, head, and? a link rotatable members each having: aiadial :slot,

an' annular retaining. i member mounted 1 on each head? "andjextendingfacrossfitlie s'lot thereof, and:a coupling jlink haying it's ends arranged-Sin thejs'lotsiofsaid'Heads:andipro videdziwitlr; longitudinal slots; which. receive said 2 retaining niernberfs and: sliding length Wise on: said retaining; inembersx 3.; Aflexible: couplingcoinprising two C011;- 7,

pling, heads adapted to be mounted on the opposing parts "of twofrotatabl e members and each having a plural ty of radial slots and an inwardly facing annular seat, a ring engaging With the seat of each head and ex tend ng across its slots, and a plurality of coupling links each having its ends arranged incorresponding slots of said heads and provided with longitudinal slots Whichreceive the rings on the respectiveheads if. A flexible couplingconiprisi'ng two coni pling. heads adapted to be mounted' on- -two rotatable members and each haying a plural ity of radial: slots and an annular flange on. its rear side. which isprovided on it'sin ner' side with an. annular 'g'rooi eformingan inwardly facing seat, a retaining ringem gaging the, seat'ofae'ach head. and extending Q CRQSSJJllhG radial-z slots. thereof; and a. plurality. of; coupling; links each having its ends rality of 'radial slots and anannular flange onits rear side which;is provided on its-inner. side;..with an annular groove it'orrnin'g an inwardly facing seat, a; split retaining ring engaging the seat of ea ch liead and extendin across the; radial slots-thereof; a lock ing block arranged -between the ends of eaelifof said retaining rings and 1 secured to the respectivehead, andfa plurality of coupling links each having its j ends arranged in oorresponding;radial' slots ofs'ai d heads and provided with I longitudinal i slots which receive theadjacentparts of said retaining rings; i a r 1 I HAnRarzui 

